BHP Billiton shuts down Angostura field

Curtis WilliamsOGJ Correspondent

PORT OF SPAIN, Sept. 22 -- BHP Billiton Petroleum (Trinidad 2c) Ltd. will shut down for 3 months its operations at Angostura field off Trinidad and Tobago’s northeast coast as it installs facilities for production of natural gas.

Company spokeswoman Carla Noel-Mendez said the shutdown will begin this month and oil production will resume in December. Meanwhile, BHP Billiton will forego 1.2 million bbl of oil production out of Angostura for the 3 months. Noel-Mendez said a full field shutdown is required for safe installation of equipment.

The company said the Phase II project will include a new gas platform, a bridge connecting existing facilities, a new gas transmission pipeline, and major modifications to the existing offshore structures. The company also will do maintenance of offshore facilities prior to gas production.

In first-half 2011, the company will commence production of a gas supply that will “enhance and support” the Trinidad and Tobago gas markets. The first gas out of Angostura is expected in first-half 2011 and will be sold to National Gas Co. of Trinidad & Tobago Ltd. for domestic use.

The gas export platform will have a design capacity of 280 MMcfd.

BHP Billiton and its partners operate the Angostura field in Block 2(c) 24 miles east of Trinidad. Oil and gas resources were discovered within a large faulted structure known as the Greater Angostura structure.

Angostura-1, drilled in 1999, was the discovery well for the field, intersecting some 950 ft (gross) of gas pay within Early Oligocene sands. Gross recoverable oil reserves are estimated at 90-300 million stb, with P50 volumes of 160 million stb. The range of gross recoverable gas volumes is 1-2.3 tcf, with a midcase volume of 1.75 tcf.